A factorial analysis of Thurstone's sixteen primary mental abilities tests

This article deals with a factorial analysis of Thurstone'sPrimary Mental Abilities Tests. The analysis was made in order to determine whether the tests designated to measure a particular ability would be found upon completion of the analysis to be clustered together with significant loadings and be isolated from the tests of the other abilities. The results show that most of the tests specifically designed to measure six of the abilities were isolated with loadings varying in size. The tests for the remaining ability were not isolated. It is also shown that the tests are complex in nature, measuring more than any one single ability.